Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Forecasters stick to prediction: 9 hurricanes

Colorado State University forecasters Phil Klotzbach and William Gray are standing pat. In an updated seasonal outlook released Wednesday, they predict a total of 18 named storms, including 10 hurricanes, will develop this year just as they did in June.

However, because one hurricane and two tropical storms already have emerged, they call for 15 named storms, including nine hurricanes, to develop over the rest of the season, which ends Nov. 30.

The main reasons they continue to predict "a very active" season: unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic and the expected arrival of La Nina, the atmospheric force that promotes tropical storm development.
 
On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will release its updated seasonal outlook. The agency called for up to 23 named storms, including up to 14 hurricanes, in late May.
 
-- McClatchy-Tribune

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